Cigarette snuffer and ash tray assembly



m v 1 X Sept. 17, 1957 J. F. SMILLIE I 2,806,475

CIGARETTE SNUFFER AND ASH TRAY ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1952 24 Fig.3

. INVENTOR. F 2 JOHN F. SMILLIE 22 BY 26 K21 & 16mm AGENTS Sept. 17, 1957 J. F. SMILLIE' CIGARETTE SNUFFER AND ASH TRAY ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Shaeu 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1952 INVENTOR.

JOHN F. SMILLIE 62oz 3 W AGENTS United States Patent CIGARETTE SNUFFER AND ASH TRAY ASSEMBLY John F. Smillie, San Diego, Calif.

Application December 6, 1952, Serial No. 324,470

2 Claims. (Cl. 131235) The present invention relates generally to a smokers equipment and more particularly to a cigarette snuifer and ash tray combination.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a cigarette snuifer and ash tray combination which is particularly suited for installation in an automobile or the like, the particular structure of the invention being arranged to coact with the existing structure of the automobile.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cigarette snuffer combination which will retain a cigarette until extinguished after which said cigarette may be dumped into an enclosed ash tray.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cigarette snufier and ash tray combination wherein the snuffer is pivotable so that the ash tray may be easily emptied or cleaned.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cigarette snutfer and ash tray for installation in an automobile, which automatically dumps an extinguished butt retained therein as the ash tray is closed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cigarette snuffer and ash tray combination which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that the choice of material can be made according to the dictates of availability and price considerations, the exact sizes and proportions being matters easily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawing, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cigarette snufier and ash tray.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device installed in the door of an automobile.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the device showing the cigarette snuifer in the open position, as though the operating button were being held down by hand.

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 in Figure 3, the view being designed to illustrate how the operating button is actually depressed when the ash tray is being pivoted back into retracted position.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the ash tray comprises a container 10, consisting of a back plate 12,

a front plate 14 and two end plates 16. The front plate 14 is molded at the upper edge, as indicated by the numeral 18, to conform to the general contour of the adjacent portion of the door 20. For the purposes of this disclosure the ash tray is illustrated as installed in the door of an automobile, although it could be fitted equally well in an instrument panel or other suitable place. The lower portion of the back plate 12 is bent forward to form the bottom portion 22 of the ash tray and has an upturned flange 24 which is secured to the lower edge of the front plate 14, said front plate being extended beyond said bottom portion and forming therewith a substantially V-shaped recess which engages with the hinge bracket 26.

The end plates 16 have scalloped upper edges 28, said scallops defining a forward notch 30, a center notch 32 and a back notch 34. The upper edge of the front plate 14 rests against a stop plate 36 when in the closed position as illustrated in Fig. 2, said stop plate having secured thereon a loop spring 38, provided with a roller 40 rotatably attached to the free end of said loop spring. The roller 40 rests in the forward notch 30 and is there retained by the resiliency of the loop spring 38 to hold the container 10 in the closed position.

The ash tray is opened by pulling forwardly on the upper edge of the front plate 14, said upper edge having a cut out portion providing a lip 42 to provide access for the fingers. During the forward movement of the ash tray, the roller 40 rides over the scallopedupper edge 28 and finally falls into the back notch 34 to hold the ash tray in the open position as indicated by dotted lines at 44 in Fig. 2.

The ash tray may be removed by pulling the container 10 forwardly until the roller 40 rests in the center notch 32 from which position said container may be lifted against the pressure of the loop spring 38 until the bottom portion 22 is clear of the hinge bracket 26 allowing the bottom of the ash tray to be pulled out as indicated by dotted lines at 46 in Fig. 2.

The cigarette snuifer assembly comprises a platform or flap 48 pivotally connected at one end to the end plate 16 by means of a hinge 50, the other end of said flap having a downwardly bent flange 52 fitted with a plurality of prongs 54 which extend to the other end plate 16 to prevent cigarette stubs from falling into the container it) While still leaving sufficient space for residual ashes to fall into said container.

The flap 48 is provided with a substantially circular opening 56, the edge of which is downwardly flanged for rigidity and to provide access for cigarette stubs which are inserted into the snuifer 58. The snuffer 58 includes a split tube comprising two similar sections 60 having a slightly tapered lower portion 62 and a substantially conical upper portion 64, the upper edges of which register with the opening 56. The halves or sections 60 of the split tube are secured to hinge rods 66 pivotally mounted in the flange 52 and in a guide bracket 68 which is securedto the underside of the flap 48, said split tube being disposed between said flange and said guide bracket. The hinge rods 66 extend through the guide bracket 68 and are bent to form cranks 70 and these cranks are dis posed inwardly and have extensions 72 which are slidably fitted in a clip 74. The split tube sections 60 are restrained from axial movement 'by means of small collars 73 rigidly secured to the hinge rods 66 adjacent the guide bracket 68 and by the cranks 70 which frictionally engage the other side of said guide bracket as shown in Fig. 4. The clip 74 consists of a U-shaped metal strip which is welded or otherwise secured to an actuating stem 76, as clearly indicated in Figures 3 and 5, said actuating stern being slidably engaged in the lower flange 78 of a bracket 80 which is fastened to the lower surface of the flap 48. The upper end of the actuating stem 76 extends through a suitable hole 82 in the flap .8 and s fi t d th a knob 8 wh h is onfig red. pre nt a earn-fac Q its upper si t e ust a e k e n s mply rounded 9n. p d ac ua g stem being reta ne in the upward p n by means of a c pr sion spring 86 fitted between. the clip 74 and the lower fiange 78. In Fig. 5 the spring 86 is shown extended and the knob 84 depressed as though the latter were being pr sse do n a d y y a fin e The flap 48 is disposed within the container 10 so that he pper urface t said fl p sl p ad a y o a y away rom h hin e n n h way, ny esid a ash wh h b depc te n t p 48 will tend to move along the sloping surface and fall between the prongs 54 into the container 10. The flap 48 is retained in the correct position by means of a stop bracket 8 secured to t e b c p at 12 The cigarette 90, as illustrated in Fig. 3, may be exan u sh d by inje n t ur en into the Split tube of the shutter so that said cigarette becomes wedged in the tapered lower portion 62. The split tube 60 conducts a large proportion of the heat away from the lighted end of the cigarette so that the remaining heat is insufficient to support combustion and it has been found in practice that cigarettes are extinguished very quickly in this manner. After the cigarette has been extinguished, it may be dropped into the container 10 by depressing the actuating stem 76. This action forces the clip 74 downwardly carrying with it the extensions 72, rotating the cranks 70 and causing the split tube sections 60 to open outwardly, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, allowing the cigarette to fali into the container. The ash tray may easily be emptied by raising the flap 48 to open the top of the container 10 after removing the ash tray from the door panel as previously described.

It should be noted that the knob 84 projects sufiiciently to engage the stop plate 36 as the ash tray is opened or closed, the rounded top of the knob functioning as a cam in cooperation with the stop plate. By this means, the knob and the actuating stem 76 are forced downwardly as the ash tray is closed, thus automatically dumping any cigarette stub which may be in the snuifer.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. An ash tray and a supporting structure therefor, said ash tray having means at the lower end thereof whereby the ash tray is pivotally and removably positioned in and on said supporting structure, the ash tray including a horizontal flap having an extinguisher mounted thereunder comprising complementary half tubes adapted to be pivoted adjacent their upper ends into and out of a mutually confronting relation, said flap also having means mounted thereon adapted to pivot said half tubes comprising a shaft having a rounded actuating button at its upper end and being connected at its lower end to links connected to each of said half tubes, said shaft having a spring thereabout adapted to maintain said button in an elevated position and said half tubes in confronting relation, said supporting structure also including an immovable element adjacent the upper portion of said ash tray, said element being so located that it will contact the rounded portion of said actuating button when the ash tray is moved toward an open or a closed position causing said button to be depressed to open said half tubes and cause said tubes to dump the contents thereof into the ash tray.

2. An ash tray and a supporting structure therefor, said ash tray having means whereby it is pivotally mounted on said supporting structure, said ash tray including a platform in the upper portion thereof, an extinguisher mounted on said platform and comprising cornplementary half'tubes adapted to be pivoted adjacent their upper ends into and out of a mutually confronting relation, cranks connected to each of said half tubes, said platform also having mounted thereon means adapted to pivot said half tubes comprising a shaft having an actuating button at its upper end and operatively connected at its lower end to said cranks, means to bias said shaft upwardly whereby said cranks are biased toward confronting relation, said button having a cam face and said supporting structure including an immovable element adjacent the upper portion of said ash tray and adapted to contact said cam face and to depress said button when the ash tray is moved from open to closed position to open said half tubes and cause said half tubes to dump the contents thereof into the ash tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,647,006 Kirzner Oct. 25, 1927 1,764.862 Vogelsang June 17, 1930 1,806,782 Brach May 26, 1931 2,048,363 Vogel July 21, 1936 2,069,400 Berg Feb. 2, 1937 2,207,040 Amen July 9, 1940 2,215,626 Visser Sept. 24, 1940 2,453,026 Maney Nov. 2, 1948 2,573,776 Shockey Nov. 6, 1951 2,575,857 Agee Nov. 20, 1951 2,619,092 Ayers Nov. 25, 1952 2,645,229 Stillman July 14, 1953 

